Gluten Allergy Symptoms

Updated on January 14, 2010

Gluten Allergy Symptoms

One of the most difficult things for a wheat-bread-loving
person to do is to give up the very thing they love due to their reactions to
the gluten that is present in wheat. For those who may not know, gluten is a protein
compound found in wheat (barley and rye as well), composed of two proteins
known as gliadin and glutenin. The gluten found in wheat flour is what
contributes to its flexibility and resilience as far as kneading is concerned,
and it also is what gives most wheat-based bread products their “chewy”
characteristics. Although wheat protein is lauded as one of the highest quality
proteins around, the unfortunate backside of it is the allergenic properties
that it has due to the gluten content. Indeed, gluten allergy symptoms are no
fun to deal with, and for the person who has not yet discovered that they are
allergic to the gluten that’s found in wheat, it can feel like a “roll of the
dice” every time they eat a wheat-based product. The range of symptoms will
vary from person to person, and there’s no “cookie-cutter” reaction that will
happen with every single person that’s adversely affected by gluten. Some of
the more common symptoms are diarrhea, distended abdomen, weight loss, and
vomiting, although again, sometimes the symptoms can manifest in a more serious
manner, including interfering with the proper functioning of certain bodily
symptoms. Some parents who have had to deal with finding treatments for
autistic children have even claimed that removing gluten from their child’s
diet caused the child’s autistic symptoms to lessen (Note: This is currently a
controversial issue, and no conclusive scientific evidence has yet been
established as to the effects of gluten on autistic children). The technical
term (for those who are so inclined) for an adverse reaction to gluten is known
as celiac disease, or (alternate spelling) coeliac disease. Another alias of
celiac disease is gluten enteropathy. The disorder is basically a reaction of
the autoimmune system to any foods containing gluten, and it produces an
inflammatory reaction in the small intestine that makes it difficult for the
stomach to absorb nutrients. This can actually cause a host gluten allergy
symptoms, some of which have been named above.

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Gluten Allergy Symptoms: A Gluten-Free Diet

Again, how far-reaching gluten allergies really are is not
fully known yet, but one thing that is commonly agreed upon is that the best
and most efficient way to deal with gluten allergy symptoms is by establishing
and maintaining a gluten-free diet. This is not always easy, and as is often
the case, you don’t realize how many foods contain gluten until you try to
construct a diet without gluten. Some people can “get away with” a diet that
has only a negligible amount of gluten, while others must avoid it altogether
and go “cold turkey”, so to speak. All of these factors will vary based on the
severity of the symptoms and the body type of the individual that’s being
affected by celiac disease. As far as creating a gluten-free diet is concerned,
it is commonly recommended that you see a dietician to provide input on what
foods actually contain gluten, many of which I’m sure we’re not even aware of.
The bottom line is that it will take quite a bit of “customization”, if you
will, to arrive at a solution for gluten allergy symptoms that will fit each
individual that has suffered from this condition. As always, the input and
recommendations of your physician and (in this case) dietician is the safest
route to go…as they say, leave it in the hands of the professionals!

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